Last gasp
A goal from Romagnoli II thirty seconds from the end gives Lazio a deserved win
Also on this day: May 10, 1925, Lazio Anconitana 6-3. 2-0 down after just 20 minutes, the Biancocelesti score six and overtake Anconitana in the table. Player of the day: Antonio Vojak
The season so far
The previous season Lazio had avoided relegation with a 2-2 draw in the last game away from home against champions Bologna. It was hoped that the 1941-42 season would not be quite so difficult.
Remo Zenobi became president in September 1941 but there was no money for transfers. The only signing was Lorenzo Borici plus the return from their loan spells of Bruno Camolese and Maximilliano Faotto.
Lazio were not doing too badly. At the end of the first half of the season they were 9th, not too far from the relegation zone (+3) but neither that way off fourth place (-3). They had beaten champions Bologna 5-1 but had lost the derby. They had then won against Triestina 5-0 and beaten Liguria 4-0. Before today’s match they were fifth with the same points as their opponents, Juventus.
The match: Sunday, May 10, 1942, Stadio del PNF, Rome
Lazio started the game very well. They were fast and powerful and Juventus were in difficulty. In the 4th minute Silvestro Pisa dribbled past most of the Juve defence but once in front of Egidio Micheloni kicked the ball straight into his arms. Not to worry. Two minutes later Salvatore Gualtieri received the ball from Enrique Flamini and found himself hindered by a number of attackers and defenders just five metres from the goal. He managed to pass the ball to the right where in came Giuseppe Baldo who scored. 1-0 for Lazio.
Juventus started playing football after the first half an hour and Lazio were in difficulty. With one minute to the end of the first half, the Bianconeri equalised. Pietro Rava to Lelio Colaneri who stopped the ball and volleyed it behind Uber Gradella. A great goal.
In the second half Lazio lost Alberto Fazio due to injury and played in ten men (no substitutions at the time). Juventus attacked but to no effect and gradually tired. In the last minute there was a corner for Lazio. The Bianconeri’s defence managed to clear the penalty box but the ball got to Italo Romagnoli II who shot. Micheloni's vision was obstructed by his defence and he did not see the ball until it was in the back of the net.
A great win for Lazio.
Who played for Lazio
Gradella, Romagnoli II, Monza II, Fazio, Ramella, Ferri, Baldo, Pisa, Gualtieri, Flamini, Puccinelli
Manager: Popovic
Who played for Juventus
Micheloni, Foni, Rava, Depetrini, Parola, Locatelli, Colaneri, Varglien II, Rabitti, Lushta, Sentimenti III.
Manager: Monti
Referee: Scarpi
Goals: 6’ Baldo, 44’ Colaneri, 89’ Romagnoli II
What happened next
In the last five matches Lazio won 4, including a 5-2 away in Milan against Milano (the name had changed from Milan to a more Italian Milano since at the time all things with a foreign taste were Italianised), and drew the derby 1-1. In the end they arrived 5th, same points as Genoa but with a lower goal quotient (ratio between goals scored and goals conceded).
Flamini and Alfredo Monza were the players with most appearances (32) and Silvio Piola with the most goals (21).
Lazio 1941-42
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals scored |
Serie A | 30 | 14 | 9 | 7 | 55 |
Coppa Italia | 2 | 1 | - | 1 | 6 |
Total | 32 | 15 | 9 | 8 | 61 |
Top five appearances
Player | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia |
Flamini | 32 | 30 | 2 |
Monza | 32 | 30 | 2 |
Gradella | 31 | 29 | 2 |
Ramella | 30 | 28 | 2 |
Pisa | 29 | 27 | 2 |
Top five goal scorers
Player | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia |
Piola | 21 | 18 | 3 |
Pisa | 14 | 14 | - |
Puccinelli | 9 | 9 | - |
Gualtieri | 6 | 4 | 2 |
Romagnoli II | 4 | 4 | - |
Baldo | 4 | 4 | - |
Let's talk about Giuseppe Baldo
Giuseppe Baldo was born in Piombino Dese near Padua on July 27, 1914. He began his football career in the youth teams of Padova and worked his way up to the A team. He debuted in Serie A on January 29, 1933.
After two years in Padua, he signed for Lazio in 1935. He stayed for seven seasons playing 186 games, 169 in Serie A, 11 in Coppa Italia and 6 in the Mitropa Cup, scoring 8 goals in Serie A and 2 in Coppa Italia. He was a great midfield player, tough and with a good reading of the game.
He was one of the players who won the gold medal at the Olympic Games of Berlin in 1936 where he played 4 games.
Once he stopped playing he worked for the Italian Football Federation and was Secretary from 1943 to 1946. In 1964 he was nominated Director of the Scuola Centrale dello Sport (Sport’s School) in Rome.
He died at Montecatini Terme on July 31, 2007, the last of the 1936 Olympians to pass away.
Lazio career
Season | Total appearances (goals) | Serie A | Coppa Italia | Mitropa Cup |
1935-36 | 31 | 29 | 2 | - |
1936-37 | 35 (1) | 30 (1) | 1 | 4 |
1937-38 | 27 | 24 | 1 | 2 |
1938-39 | 22 (2) | 21 (1) | 1 (1) | - |
1939-40 | 31 (2) | 28 (1) | 3 (1) | - |
1940-41 | 22 (1) | 19 (1) | 3 | - |
1941-42 | 18 (4) | 18 (4) | - | - |
Total | 186 (10) | 169 (8) | 11 (2) | 6 |
Sources